The return to Adelaide Oval has spurred long-time local supporters to reminisce about how the “great old days of football” were better, but yesterday’s 18-point win by Port Adelaide over Fremantle was probably one of the best football spectacles this grand old ground has hosted.

It was a proverbial arm wrestle, neither side relenting with fierce tackling, constant smothers and, as the modern game now demands, brilliant transition and desperation for every possession.

Chad Wingard, right, kicked five goals but also showed off his defensive side against Alex Silvagni.

That was, until Port ripped the game apart and floored Fremantle with yet another dominating finish. It hoisted the Power to the top of the ladder with seven wins and one loss – its best-ever start to a season in its 18 years in the AFL – and the win represented a 92-point turnaround from Fremantle’s 74-point win at Patersons Stadium in round 22 last year.

Advertisement

After an incredibly tight tussle up to half-time, the game yearned for heroes to stand up, and they did from both sides – none better than Port’s 20-year-old Chad Wingard, who was playing his 50th game and is destined to rank alongside those local champions of yesteryear who are so preciously revered here.

The run started minutes into the second half when Wingard ran 40 metres with the flight of the ball, marked under pressure from Lee Spurr, and kicked a goal a few metres out by the boundary.

Port trailed at three-quarter time but overran the Dockers.

Wingard had “only” 17 disposals and kicked five goals, but it was his on-field leadership that belies his youth, and his ability to ooze with class at crucial and game-tearing moments that were was incredibly entertaining and such a pleasure to watch.

Post-match, all Wingard could talk about was Jay Schulz, who played his 150th game – he did well – other teammates and the need to keep working to be a better side collectively. It was really how Port played – that insatiable hunger for the ball and to play the best it can.

For three quarters we assumed this would be a tense struggle to the dying moments, but Port then moved up a notch and blasted the Dockers out of the game with a five-goal burst, leaving no doubt the Power was the real deal. Its 40-point win over Geelong in round six was very good, but this was even better.

Rarely have we seen the Dockers stunned so much, and the remarkable thing was that Port ruckman Matthew Lobbe was a late withdrawal leaving Aaron Sandilands to dominate and give Fremantle a clear advantage at the centre bounces.

And when coach Ken Hinkley made an amazingly bold move by subbing his replacement ruckman Brent Renouf at three-quarter time for a smaller player, we all thought Fremantle’s chances had risen considerably.

As Fremantle coach Ross Lyon later lamented, “All the ruckman can do is palm it [the ball]” referring to the way how Port’s midfielders continued to win the centre clearances and dominate the inside-50s in the last quarter.

Hinkley admitted that he spoke to his players of how Fremantle flogged them in round 22 last year, how it was a trend-setter in defensive structures and how Port needed to be as good as the Dockers in this area. They must have listened intensely.

Fremantle played well, but for most part it was denied easy access into its forward lines. Nathan Fyfe and David Mundy were superb midfield, while Tendai Mzungu’s resilience and creativity in defence were invaluable.

However, Fremantle did not have Port's that same powerful impact moving deep inside-50like Port and, too often, players were astray kicking for goal.

It is a scary thought that Hinkley believes Port can improve; Lyon knows Fremantle must improve, especially with Matthew Pavlich playing his 300th game against Geelong at Patersons Stadium on Saturday night.